Ice Man

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Hockey is as hockey does

By David Vecsey | Wednesday, September 27, 2006, 10:20 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

I hope there aren’t many games like this 2-0 loss to Florida. An 0-for-8 on the power play, by my count. That’s all I have to say about that.

Speaking of Forrest Gump …

I enjoyed John Manasso’s story on Bob Hartley last week in which he wrote about how nothing fazes Hartley. I particularly enjoyed the string of quotes at the end in which Hartley sounded decidedly Gump-ian. To get the full effect when you read this, you have to read it with a hybrid accent of French-Canadian and Alabaman:

“For me, coaching is like living. You know your birthday, you don’t know the day you’ll die. It’s like a loaf of bread with an expiration date. You try to keep it in the freezer.

“What kind of person sits at home on the couch and wonders if they’ll die of a heart attack or cancer? That makes you miserable. Do your best and what happens, happens.”

Life is like a loaf of bead?

I was hoping to link to pictures of Hartley and Gump for some extra comedic effects, but it seems as if my technology won’t allow it. I’m working on an old Commodore 64 with a 25k baud modem connection. It’s great for Pong and word processing, but it took me 18 hours to download K-Fed’s new album. (So worth it.)

My responses to your responses

Random Thoughts

Did I mention the Thrashers lost 2-love in Florida tonight after going 0-for-8 on the PP?

It’s just preseason.

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A frozen moment

By David Vecsey | Tuesday, September 26, 2006, 08:51 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Enough about the Thrashers; let’s talk about me.

In case you haven’t caught the news scroll on espn in the past few hours, yes, I did score today at sticktime. Hard low shot, on the ice, from between the circles about five feet from the blue line. It managed to avoid three or four sets of skates on the way in, then sneaked between the goalie’s right skate and the post. I acted typically nonchalant for a pickup game goal, but on the inside, I was riding my stick like Tiger Williams. I was walking on my toes like John Tonelli. I was Bobby Orr flying through the air.

Let’s face it: There is no feeling quite like scoring a goal in hockey. It’s the best. I mean, I’ve had pie and coffee at Perkins; I’ve stood in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre; and I’ve hit a walk-off grand slam in a media league softball game.

I’ve been to the fair, and I’ve seen the bear, all right?

I’ve stood at the northwestern-most and southeastern-most points of the continental United States. I’ve been to the top of the Statue of Liberty, the St. Louis Arch and the Eiffel Tower. I’ve heard Bob Dylan sing “Tangled Up in Blue,” Bruce Springsteen sing “Thunder Road” and the Grateful Dead sing “Truckin’.”

It all seems to pale in comparison to scoring a lucky goal in a pickup hockey game in suburban Atlanta on a Tuesday afternoon.

I am the Per Svartvadet of pickup hockey, easily the worst player on the ice at any given moment. But I enjoy the exercise, the physicality and the comradarie. I like the fact that guys who played in high school, or maybe even college, can share the ice with 60-something guys with softened Boston accents and a skating glide that can be best compared to Arnold Palmer’s golf swing. They even share the ice with a no-talent hack like me, the guy always a step behind, out of position and about 12 seconds from hacking up a lung right there on the ice. Not only that, but every now and again in the rarist of inspired moments, a no-talent hack like me can make a play, almost as if he meant to, and get one into the net. Kind of like Patrik Stefan.

That’s a cheap shot, I know. But then again, so was my goal today. And I still enjoyed it.

Nine days till opening day.

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Pass the Kool-Aid

By David Vecsey | Monday, September 25, 2006, 10:24 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

OK, if I hear you guys correctly, you’re saying that the Thrashers defense is so much improved that the team can withstand a moderate dropoff in offensive production and still be a playoff team. If you guys believe it, then I’ll believe it, too, I guess. I trust your opinions.

But here’s why I have a problem with it. Last season, the team’s mentality seemed to be: Let’s be a high-scoring offensive-minded team because our defense is so middle-of-the-road. And you have to admit that the offense won a heck of a lot more games than the defense last season. And, yet, this season the mentality seems to be: We don’t need a top-shelf offensive center because we’ve loaded up on “defensively responsible” forwards, Lehtonen will cut our goals-against and our defense continues to get deeper.

That’s virtually a 180-degree shift in team philosophy. And I don’t like those.

And when we talk about this ‘deeper’ defense, we need to be clear about what we’re talking about. We’re talking about five of the same top-six that played last year and a battle for the 6-7 spots between a bunch of guys who all look good but are largely unproven at this level. So if the defense was so average last year, why are we entering the season saying it’s markedly improved? I’m not saying it can’t or won’t be better, but I just don’t think it’s automatic. I feel like I am watching the same d-men as last year … because I am.

But, like I said, if you guys are OK with it, then count me in. I don’t claim to be an insider or guru of any kind, just another loud-mouth idiot on a barstool.

OK, so speaking of the defense, two quick thoughts:

I have to go now. Chris Berman just starting reciting the lyrics to “City of New Orleans” at halftime of the Falcons game. I’m gonna go throw up and then throw my TV out the window. Or maybe I’ll throw up on my TV and then throw myself out the window.

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Game tonight

By David Vecsey | Saturday, September 23, 2006, 05:31 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Big game tonight.

Actually, I had kind of forgotten there was a game tonight until I saw the jerseys outside Philips on my way into work. Preseason doesn’t really register like it used to … besides, I hate trying to interpret things that happen in preseason games in terms of what it means for the regular season. Although, you can get a good feel for how a guy looks, his timing, etc … moreso than in other sports, I think.

I’ll try to catch a bit on the radio; I want to hear how Odgers comes off as a broadcaster.

Was glad to see so many responses to my first post; I wasn’t sure how long it would take for people to see the Thrashers blog was up and running again. You guys certainly seem primed and ready to go.

Here are some quick responses to your thoughts:

I’m not saying he’s Gretzky. I’m just saying we didn’t come close to replacing his offensive numbers. If either Metropolit or Krog score more than 50 points this season, I’ll be surprised. Metropolit has 47 points in 103 career games; Krog has 52 in 175. Combined, that’s two more points than Savard had LAST SEASON. So I think it’s a little early to start saying these two guys are going to step in and fill the void. I hope they do, I just wouldn’t bet on it. Heck, I’ll be surprised if Rucchin checks in with more than 50. Again, I hope he does, but the pessimist in me says he won’t.

Big game tonight. Maybe we’ll check in later. Keep your comments coming.

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First impressions

By David Vecsey | Friday, September 22, 2006, 09:13 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

I’ve been working on the playoff beard all summer, and I think by the end of April it should really be coming in nice. That I’m 37 and still can’t grow a decent beard doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the fact that I’m a 37-year-old hockey fan who can’t grow a decent beard come playoff time.

Thank God the Thrashers haven’t called my bluff yet. Maybe this season. Then again …

I hate to start off on a negative vibe, but as I take an objective look at this Thrashers team, my first reaction is that I don’t like it nearly as much as I liked last year’s Thrashers team. And last year’s Thrashers team didn’t make the playoffs. Why should this year’s? I know, I know … believe me, I know that last season was something of an aberration because of the Lehtonen injury. If Lehtonen misses only 20 games instead of 40, that team makes the playoffs and, quite possibly, does some damage. The way that team was playing down the stretch, there wasn’t a team in the East that wanted anything to do with the Thrashers in the first round.

But that was last year’s team. I think the loss of Marc Savard and, to a lesser degree, Peter Bondra really puts the offense back a step or two. And, unfortunately, Don Waddell didn’t do all that much to replace their production. I don’t know if he could have, salary cap and all. But I don’t think you can put a happy face on replacing Savard’s 90-some points with Steve Rucchin’s 30-some points. At least I can’t.

As for the defense, maybe it’s improved, maybe it isn’t. I see a long list of names for a shorter list of openings, so at least there is more depth. But it still strikes me as a long list of second-line names. There’s some skill there, there’s some hard hitters … but there still isn’t that anchor-type defenseman, who’s going to give you 30 rock-solid, dependable minutes. I know it’s unrealistic to say that we should just ‘go out and get’ a Nick Lidstrom or a Chris Pronger; those type of players don’t grow on trees. But that unfortunate reality doesn’t absolve the team for the fact that they don’t have one of those type of players. They just don’t. And that’s just how it is. So I’ll try to make lemonade with the guys we’ve got. My prediction is that while the defense will be better and while the defense will hit a little harder … the defense still is going to have its issues.

So without writing the sequel to “War and Peace” here in my first blog entry, let me just quickly hit on some other first impressions that we can get into a little deeper as the season goes on:

And you know it’s gonna happen, too.

That’s enough for now. I’ll be back.

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